Gripper operating mechanism



Oct. 11, 1932. J. MEYER GRIPPER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Oct. 11, 1932. .1. MEYER GRIPPER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 11, 1932 JOSEPH MEYER, OF JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO R. HOE &. 00., INCL,

OF NEW YORK, Y., CORPORATION OF NEW YORK enrrrnn ornnn'rrna MECHANISM Application filed February 1, 19 30. Serial No. 425,245.

This invention relates to mechanism for operating sheet gripping aws that are employed for holding a sheet while it is being It is common practice to operate these parts through mechanism thatis actuated by a'roller in running engagement with a cam surface. In arrangements heretofore used, the jaws are closed by the action of a spring, and opened by the action ofthe cam on the cam roller. In many cases this resulted in rapid wear of the cam and other parts of the machine.

The invention disclosed herein, constitutes an important improvement, for a mechanism has been devised in which no pressure on the cam roller is required, in order to hold the jaws open.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism that will open and close the gripper jaws of a cam operated sheet holding device carried by a rotating element of a printing machine, and so arranged that excessive pressure on the operating mechanism is avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cam operated mechanism which acts to both open and close the jaws of the sheet holding device, and having a toggle mechanism for holding the said device in one position whereby excessive pressure on the operating mechanism is avoided.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a jaw operating mechanism of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and eh icient in its use. 1

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention residesin the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may he made within the scope of what is'claim'ed without departing from the spirit of the. invention.

The preferred embodimentof the inven' t'ion is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

Figure 1 shows across sectional elevation of a portion of the folding cylinder of a printing machine, illustrating the sheet holding or gripper jaws in their open position and themechanism for operating them that I is the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the jaws closed, and other component 7 parts of the mechanism in theircorrespond ingrelative positions;

Figure 3 is longitudinal sectional elevation of a portion of the folding cylinder shown in Figures 1 andQ, as it appears in the direction of arrow 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is-a detail end view of the gripper jaws partly in section;

Figure 5 is a View of the jaws as seen'from portion of one of the gripper jaws and the coacting folder, blade as seen in the direction of arrow 6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, portions of a pairof cooperating folding cylinders are shown in Figures 1 and 2, the blade cylinder being indicated at 11 and the jaw cylinder at 19.. The blade cylinder carries a blade 13 and the jaw cylinder carries the jaw members 14 and 15 having jaws 14 and l5 respectively. The cylinder 12 is-secured to a shaft 16which is arrangedtorotate in suitable bearings not showmand the cooperating cylinder 11 is similarly arranged.

Journals 17 and 17 are formed on the aw member 14, and similar, journals 18 and 18' are formed onthe jaw member 15. Suitable bearings for the journals are provided in the end wall 12 of the cylinder, permitting the jaws. to be turned from the open position shown in Figure 1 to the closed position shown in Figure 2. The jaw member 15 is provided with lugs 19 and 21. The jaw member 1a is formed with a series of segmental Figure 6 is a fragmentary View showing'a half of its length are cut away.

' necting rod 27, having a loose collar 28, slides in the poppet 24, and is provided with lock nuts as shown at 29. A box cam .31, engages a roller 32, rotatably supported on an arm 33, formed on the outer end of a shaft men ber 34, that is supported to rotate in a bearing formed in the end 12 of the cylinder 12. An arm. is secured to the shaft 3 1, and pivotally connected by the pin 36 to a head37, formed on the rod 27. A spring 38 bears against the collar 28 and is adjusted and held in the desired tension by lock nuts 39. A collar 41 is secured to theshaft 3 1, and in cooperation with the shoulder 42, provided on the outer end of the shaft member 34,acts to prevent movement of the shaft endwise. The edge of the blade 1.3 is not continuous, for sections comprising approximately one Likewise sections of the jaws 14 and 15' are cut away leaving gaps as indicated at 4 1 in Figure 5. The portions of the blade which are not cut away register with the gaps 14 and thus permit the aws to close tightly on the sheet.

In operation, the sheet indicated at 43 15 being carried by-the blade cylinder 11, and he blade 13, acts to tuck the portion of the sheet to be folded, between the jaws 14 and '15, As the cylinders rotate from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2, the cam 31 acts on a roller 32, rotating the shaft member 34, whichthus exerts a thrust on the rod 27, and closes the gripper jaws 14 and 15 so they engage the sheet to fold it as shown in Figure 2.

It will be noted that in closing the jaws,

the rod connection 27, moves a greater dis .tance than the poppet 24, the over travel being permitted by the action of the spring 3 Further rotation of the cylinders in the 7 direction of the arrows causes the jaws to pull the folded sheet away from the tucking blade and carry it forward to the next operation in a manner well known to those versed in the art. 7

It will be noted that the motion ofthe arm 35, produces a result on the rod 27, equivalent to the action of a crank on a connecting rod connected to a cross head, and that when the gripper jaws are closing on the sheet, that a relatively light pressure exerted by the cam 31 on the roller 32, will cause a relatively heavy pressure between the gripper jaws, due to the fact that the connection approaches and finally reaches the position shown in Figure 2 in which the pin 36 is on a dead center, and at that time no pressure of the cam on the roller is required to hold the jaws closed.

In case the thickness of the sheet to be folded varies, when a thick sheet is taken, the jaws cannot close so tightly, and the rod 27 will then slide in the collar 28, and in the poppet connection 24, allowing a part of the motion that is imparted to the rod 27,

to be taken up by the spring 38.

Continued rotation of the cylinder 12, will bring the gripper jaws to a position where the sheet is to be discharged and the roller 32, will then be in engagement with a portion of the cam 31 not shown, that acts to return the mechanism to the position shown in Figure 1. v i

In the mechanism heretofore used, in which the jaws are pressed together by the action of a spring, and a cam mechanism is employed that presses the jawsapart when it is desired to release the sheet, the arrangement is such that considerable pressure must be exerted by the cam on the roller in order to hold the gripper aws open, and as the action of the spring in closing them is not instantaneous, a lag in their operation results,

which may cause a failure to take the sheet which in turn would produce a choke that might damage the machine.

The mechanism disclosedherein, on the other hand, opens and closes the gripper jaws by a positive action. The closing'motion results from pressure of one side of the cam I 31 against the roller 32, while the opening action results from pressure on the other side of the roller 32, which causes'the lock nuts 29 to rotate the jaw member in the opposite direction and open the aws.

In order that a twisting distortion of the jaws members may be. avoided, the arm 35, the rod 27, and the associated parts may be duplicated on the opposite end of the cylinder from that shown in Figure 3, and it will be understood that this end of the cylinder is provided with bearings for the shaft 34 and the journals 17 and 18'.

What I claim is: I

I 1. In a gripper jaw mechanism for a printing machine, a rotatable member having a jaw, a connecting rod adapted to rotate the member, said connecting rod having one end pivotally connected to the member and the other end pivotal'ly connected to an arm secured to a shaft, and means to rotate the shaft toa position in which a straight line will intersect the axes of the pivotal con her, an arm secured to a shaft, a pivotal connection on the arm connecting it to the rod and means to rotate the shaft to align the rod with the center of the shaft and thereby close the jaw.

4c. In a gripper jaw mechanism for a printing machine, a pair of jaw members having jaws and adapted to operate in unison to open and close the jaws, a connecting rod arranged to operate the jaw members, an

arm secured to a shaft and pivotally connected to the connecting rod, and means to rotate the shaft to a position where the pivotal connection is at a dead center, to close the jaws.

5. In a gripper jaw mechanism for a print ing machine, a rotatable jaw member having a lug, a poppet adapted to turn in the lug, a rod fitted to slide in the poppet, a spring on the rod adapted to cause pressure to be exerted against the poppet, an arm secured to a shaft and pivot-ally connected to said rod, and means to turn the shaft to substantially align the center of the pivotal connection, the center of the shaft and the center of thepoppet, thereby exerting a turning force on the jaw member to close the j aw.

6. In a gripper jaw mechanism for a printing machine, a jaw member movable to open and close the jaw, a connecting rod adapted to move the jaw member by a yieldable connection, an arm secured to a shaft and connected to the rod by a pivot, and means to turn the shaft to a position in which the pivot is substantially on a dead center with relation to the rod and the jaw is closed.

7. In a gripper jaw mechanism for a printing machine, a jaw member movable to open and close the jaw, a connecting rod adapted to operate the jaw member by a yieldable connection to close the jaw andthrough a positive connection to open the jaw, an arm secured to a pivot and pivotally connected to the rod, and means to turn the shaft to a position in which the pivot is substantially on a dead center with relation to the rod and thereby close the j aw.

8. In a gripper jaw mechanism for a printing machine, a pair of jaw members having jaws and adapted to operate in unison to open and close the jaws, an arm secured to a shaft and pivoted to a connection for operating the jaws, and means to rock the shaft in one direction to a position where the pivot is at a 3 dead center to close the jaws, and'in the opposite direction to open the jaws.

9. In a gripper jaw mechanism for a printing machine, a jaw member having a jaw, a connecting rod operat-ably connected thereto, an arm secured to a shaft and pivotally connected to the connecting rod, and means to rotate the shaft in one direction to a position in which the pivot-a1 connection is on a dead center and thereby close the jaw, and in the opposite direction to open the jaw.

10. In a printing machine folder, a gripper j aW mechanism including movable jaws adapted to engage a sheet, and a toggle device movable into dead center position to close the jaws.

a 11. In a printing machine folder, a gripper jaw mechanism including movable jaws adapted to engage a sheet, a toggle device movable into dead center position to close the jaws, and a cam arranged to operate the toggle device. V

12. In a gripper jaw mechanism for a printing machine, a jaw member having a jaw movable togrip a sheet, a toggle device 

